"How strong?" Xiao Qing couldn't contain his curiosity.
"Your Majesty, it's about enough to make one wish they had never been born, to regret coming into this world. I believe General Nie would not be speaking without cause. Even if it violates medical ethics, I wish to vent the anger of those suffering commoners," Yuan Jin said calmly.
Everyone fell silent.
Xiao Qing sighed, "To act on behalf of heaven, arrange it..."
Yuan Jin immediately ran off to prepare the laxatives.
The next day, difficult gasps echoed from the privy.
Mu Xuan, sweating profusely and looking miserable, felt as if his intestines were about to be expelled.
He had lost count of how many times he had been to the latrine, spending most of the day in its company.
"Your Highness..." Mu Xuan's guards stood outside the privy, pinching their noses, their faces etched with worry.
"Only I, this prince, have diarrhea? What about my imperial brothers?" Mu Xuan's heart-wrenching roar came from within the privy.
"We've asked. The other princes are all perfectly healthy. Your Highness might be suffering from an upset stomach due to the change in environment?" the guard said awkwardly.
"Upset stomach my foot!" Mu Xuan's enraged roar erupted from the privy, followed by a wail and the sound of trickling water. "Oh..."
By afternoon, Mu Xuan, weakened by diarrhea, was helped back to his room by his guards. Eventually, he had them find an iron bucket for him to sit on, propped over a table, allowing him to continue to defecate.
He was too weak to squat any longer. For a moment, he wondered why he had ever chosen to endure such suffering in this world...
"Quickly check my meals, is there something wrong with them!" Mu Xuan said weakly.
"You ate all those pastries, we can't check them even if we wanted to..." Before the guard could finish, he was slapped by Mu Xuan.
Having used all his strength to deliver the blow, Mu Xuan almost tipped over and quickly righted himself, afraid to move recklessly.
"Did they eat the same pastries?" Mu Xuan asked, his voice trembling.
"Yes, the First Prince and the others are fine!" the guard replied, covering his face.
"Summon an imperial physician to examine me..." Mu Xuan said helplessly.
Three imperial physicians arrived to consult on Mu Xuan's case. After examining him, they looked troubled. "The Second Prince likely just has an upset stomach."
"That's it? No other reason?" Mu Xuan asked, displeased.
The imperial physicians nodded, their expressions serious.
Observing their demeanor, which didn't seem feigned, Mu Xuan could only request they prescribe some medicine to stop the diarrhea.
An hour later, Mu Xuan began to have diarrhea again.
"A bunch of quacks! Quickly ask the Son of Heaven of Daqian to send someone else!" Mu Xuan's wails echoed from the privy.
Hua Xiong, upon receiving the news, rushed to the Marquis of An Country's mansion to meet Liang Xiao. "The Marquis of An Country sought me out?"
Seeing that only Nie Yuan was present, Liang Xiao quietly explained to Hua Xiong.
"It must be stopped immediately? I'm very skilled at this!" Upon learning that Yuan Jin had gone a bit too far and couldn't stop, Hua Xiong patted his chest and changed the subject. "What did the Marquis of An Country just say? He's a leader of the Rejuvenation Sect, responsible for harming countless people?"
Seeing Liang Xiao nod, Hua Xiong said with a sincere expression, "Can I add something discreet into the diarrhea-stopping medicine? Something colorless and odorless?"
"What do you want to do?" Liang Xiao was startled.
Was this seemingly upright Hua Xiong also planning to act on behalf of heaven?
At night, Mu Xuan was so ill he wished for death, finding even the effort to lift his eyelids exhausting.
After Hua Xiong examined Mu Xuan, he prescribed a medicine, saying, "This prescription will absolutely stop the diarrhea, but it has a slight side effect: vomiting. The severity varies from person to person."
Mu Xuan's spirits immediately lifted. "Mere vomiting is nothing, as long as it stops the diarrhea!"
After taking the medicine on the spot, Mu Xuan felt his intestines relax and was moved to tears. "You truly are a divine physician of that era!"
"You flatter me. A physician has the heart of a parent," Hua Xiong replied humbly.
Late at night, intermittent sounds of vomiting came from the room.
He had been vomiting all night, feeling as if he were about to expel his stomach and spleen!
"This is what you call 'slight'?" Mu Xuan finally abandoned all pretense of refinement, his rage boiling over.
Vomiting and diarrhea...
The next day, Mu Xuan, looking haggard, pleaded with the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial who came to visit. "I want to return to Da Liang..."
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial looked sympathetic. "Since you are here, make the best of it. This matter requires the Emperor's consent, and then the consent of your Da Liang Emperor."
Mu Xuan suppressed the urge to slap the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial across the face and said, his voice trembling, "I will immediately send someone to seek my father's approval!"
Xiao Qing, upon receiving Mu Xuan's request, sent Mu Cheng's handwritten letter to the Court of State Ceremonial for all the princes to see.
"Before the Marquis of An Country Liang Xiao concludes his diplomatic mission to Da Liang, the Son of Heaven of Daqian shall not permit our princes to return home!"
Upon seeing Mu Cheng's sealed letter, everyone felt despair.
When Liang Xiao returned to the West Palace Villa, he heard the cheerful laughter of his wives.
"Imperial Physician, be mindful of the dosage next time. This time it was too much, learn to go with a slow and steady stream," Xiao Qing's voice was heard, accompanied by crisp laughter.
"As you command! This secret formula hasn't been used in a while, I've become rusty. Let's give him a taste of it occasionally. Your Majesty, am I violating medical ethics with this action?" Yuan Jin's calm voice was heard again.
"Eliminating harm for the people, how can that be a violation of medical ethics?" Xiao Qing purred.
A drop of cold sweat broke out on Liang Xiao's forehead.
There would be a next time? A slow and steady stream?
"My dear little Shuangzi, my precious Shuang'er! Who taught you to be so wicked!" Liang Xiao lamented for a moment, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I am the culprit, so it's fine then..."
With the joint "supervision" of the Shadow Guards and the Imperial Forest Army, Mu Xuan had no opportunity to escape back home.
In a civilian residence, Duan Hong and others from the Rejuvenation Sect were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
"The First and Second Princes are fine, why is only the Third Prince vomiting and having diarrhea? Is it the change in environment?" Gong Mingqing frowned.
Duan Hong's expression darkened, and he sighed. "Perhaps he's been identified by Nie Yuan? If that's the case, the Third Prince can only fend for himself."
Hearing that Liang Xiao was preparing to travel to Da Liang, Jian Nanfeng, who was teaching in the Heavenly Mountains, immediately arranged for disciples to go to the capital.
Ren Changfeng and Du Pingling were among them, their faces filled with urgency as they rushed towards the capital day and night.
During the day, Jian Qinwan stood silently behind Liang Xiao, observing.
Ren Changfeng and Du Pingling, looking exhausted, their eyes lit up upon seeing Liang Xiao.
"Finally, we are together with the Marquis of An Country again..."
Each of them grasped one of Liang Xiao's hands, their faces filled with excitement.
Hearing the "tsk tsk tsk" from the wives behind him, Liang Xiao shook their hands away. "Don't be like this, I have a family!"
"Do you mean that when you don't have a family, you can be casual with them~" Jian Qinwan snorted.
It wasn't until Liang Xiao turned to give her a meaningful look that she quickly shut her mouth, her face flushing, not daring to speak.
It was a look of revenge.
"We have them too..." The two then realized their gaffe, their old faces blushing. Du Pingling explained, "It's just that Senior Brother is right, following the Marquis of An Country can realize one's life's value, a glorious life! Senior Brother and Sixth Brother also wanted to come, but because their children are still young, Master wouldn't allow it."
Everyone exchanged smiles.
In the hearts of the Heavenly Mountain swordsmen, Liang Xiao's status was no less than that of their master, Jian Nanfeng. They were all figures they would follow to their death.
Fifty Heavenly Mountain swordsmen who had been to Da Liang decided to accompany Liang Xiao on his diplomatic mission, to facilitate his affairs.
Seven days later, Mu Xuan began to have diarrhea again...